Get Me Back
by insidejokes
Summary: "I gotta say, Fern," Deeks broke the strained silence, "I think we've been here before." The mercenary pointing the gun did not look amused. "Sorry," Deeks apologized casually, "It's sort of an inside joke."


_I'm BA-ACK. Well, what did you think, I couldn't not write something after that finale promo! Sure to be completely canon-balled by Tuesday, but I hope you enjoy nontheless. In case you haven't realized, this entire thing is just a shameless parallel to Deliverance. :) Thanks for reading! _

"I gotta say, Fern," Deeks broke the strained silence, "I think we've been here before."

The mercenary pointing the gun did not look amused.

"Sorry," Deeks apologized casually, "It's sort of an inside joke."

"Deeks?"

"Hm?"

"Really, _really _not the best time."

He glanced at his partner, who's teeth were gritted in concentration. She was standing directly to his left as she held her gun steadily in her hand; aiming, as Deeks himself was, directly at the three assailants facing them. Which was all well and good, minus the fact that the baddies were doing the same thing. And that they were outnumbered. And that they had no way of getting backup.

"Come with us, and we leave the girl, or you both die."

And there was that too, he supposed.

Deeks opened his mouth to reply, but Kensi beat him to it. "Not gonna happen." Her voice was steely, and if Deeks hadn't known her like he did, it would have seemed entirely without feeling. As it was, though, he knew that she was anything but. There was an almost imperceptible edge to her voice, and her fingers were clenched so tightly around the grip of her gun that her knuckles were white. And, okay, he might as well admit it, she still, even now, looked totally beautiful. It seemed obvious, though, that what seemed to be the head thug did not agree. He cocked the gun menacingly, finger twitching on the trigger as he swung the gun to point directly at Kensi. Deeks glanced at her out of the corner of his eye to gage her reaction- but then, he should have known her better. She didn't flinch, instead staring the thug right in the eye.

"Why him, anyway? What can he give you that I can't?"

Deeks immediately recognized that she was trying to stall the guy, and also knew how. "Kensi-" he began warningly, but she continued.

"You can't learn anything from him- he's not even an agent. Just a cop. Too-" for the first time she faltered, only for a second as her eyes flicked to Deeks. "Too pretty for his own good." Almost despite himself, a small smile touched the corners of Deeks' lips. Wasn't this just a lovely deja-vu, then? He was suddenly struck by the repetitiveness of their job- different criminals, different crimes, but at the end of the day it was them against the world. And somehow, be it skill or, he suspected, luck, they managed to make it out relatively unharmed. A bump here, a bruise there, a heart-pounding jump out of a room full of lasers... This time, however... There was something inside of him that knew with a sort of finality that this wouldn't be one of those times.

He stared at the head thug, who's gun was still pointed at Kensi. "It's because I saw him, isn't it?" The man didn't respond, but Deeks kept on talking, putting the pieces together as he spoke. "Earlier, when I was with the big guy, and I saw him bump into the guy at the coffee shop. I almost pointed it out, but I decided it wasn't important." The sinking feeling was growing in his stomach. "It was a drop, wasn't it? That was one of the buyer-"

"Enough." The man sounded annoyed now, gesturing with his hands for his two cronies to move forwards. They took a step towards Kensi and Deeks, who simultaniously took one backwards. "Either you come with us, or we kill you both- starting with her. Last chance."

For the long second, during which Deeks was sure they could all hear his pounding heart, it was silent. Then:

"Get on the bike, Kens."

"Deeks!" She sounded entirely affronted, not moving an inch, but Deeks was already looking at the men.

"If I go with you, she goes unharmed."

"Deeks, no!"

"Won't lay a finger on her." The man promised, speaking over Kensi as if she wasn't there. Deeks nodded, features set, and turned to his partner.

His voice was lower than usual, holding something serious and vaguely frightening. "Get on the bike, Kens." He left absolutely no room for argument, but of course she did anyways.

_God, _he loved her.

"Deeks, you are insane if you think for one second that I'm just going to let you go with them. That's not how this partners thing works- not for a second!" She kept going, but Deeks turned to the men.

"Just a second, please." He said, voice deliberately casual. The man rolled his eyes, and Deeks turned back to his partner. If he didn't die today, she'd kill him for this. He lifted her up in midsentence, depositing her directly, but gently, onto the bike. For the brief second that she was in his arms, he allowed himself to imagine that it was just another undercover op that had him carrying her into a room, bridal style- or maybe even the real thing, although that seemed unreachably far right now. He placed her on the seat, and she punched him in the gut, then hugged him.

What the-

Her arms were around him with all of her strength, as if she could hold him there with her. Her face was buried in his chest, and he felt her shaking; strong facade finally broken. He held onto her with equal force, until one of the men cleared his throat. Well, as far as kidnappings went, at least he got a hug.

Extracting himself took a surprising amount of both physical and mental strength, and as he did so he cupped her head in his hands. She looked up at him searchingly as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"It's okay," he whispered, lips barely brushing against hers, "you'll get me back."

And as he withdrew from her, and as he walked over to the men, and as he was shoved into the car, and as he felt the pieces of normality breaking apart, he still did not break; which in itself, was really something of a miracle.

And they started the car, and then- why -one of the men was rolling down the window and leaning his head out. And before Deeks could connect the dots, he was firing behind them.

And he could not see, but when he heard the crashing of metal he knew.

And the funny thing was (because it was almost funny, by now) that he still did not break. Because really, from the moment she'd placed her hands in his, in the room with the lasers so long ago, they'd been on borrowed time.

You could only run for so long.

Eventually, things always caught up to you.


End file.
